6 shows since 1987 without "Bullet"

The_acrobat · 09-17-2006, 03:15 PM

I feel priveledged to have attended a U2 show WITHOUT bullet the blue sky. That was 10/10/01 in South Bend, Indiana. But I researched on Axver's site to see how many other shows Bullet has not been played at since it's release. Here are the results.

10/3/89- Brisbane
10/27/89- Adelaide
11/11/89- Auckland
11/23/89- Yokohama
12/18/89- Amsterdam
10/10/01- South Bend

6 shows, 5 of those in 1989. Only one show on a full scale U2 concert as part of a tour has not featured "Bullet the blue sky" in the last 16 years. It's not even that good of a song, not a popular hit single. Why do they insist on playing it so much???? And I wonder why they didn't play it at the South Bend show?

adrball · 09-17-2006, 03:23 PM

Simple...'cos it is great song LIVE. A lot of power and emotion

Edge's solo:

Zooropean103 · 09-17-2006, 03:30 PM

Mayby they just like to play it? And like adrball said above: really, it's a GREAT song live, one of their best. If someone tells me U2 is only about pop-rock or slow ballads then I show him Zoo TV or Boston Elevation version of Bullet. Edge's solo and Bono's psychodelic rap is always thrilling. Later Vertigo versions are also great, especially the "Johnny comes marching home... HOME... HOOOME!!!" part!

Ifeelnumb84 · 09-17-2006, 05:22 PM

I'm guessing it wasnt played in South Bend because it was the first show after 9/11, and earlier performances have a sort of half anti-American vibe, something that wasn't really needed at that point in time.
Of course, that doesn't explain why they have resumed playing it at each concert ever since.

coolian2 · 09-17-2006, 06:04 PM

They keep playing it because it rocks.

Mauwer · 09-18-2006, 06:54 AM

And it might be very easy to sing for Bono????
A nice breather for him inbetween harder to sing songs! ( SBS & MS this tour )

Cheers ,

Mauwer

Zooropean103 · 09-18-2006, 08:14 AM

I wouldn't call bullet easy to sing... It's very emotional song and the whooooo-oooooooo's are pretty high.

Dulce de Leche · 09-18-2006, 08:48 AM

Wow, I thought I'd always heard it but I was at the South Bend show so I guess not. Fun times, as I have always thought it's the most overrated live song and they need to drop it.

Cheers for the info.

Arcadion · 09-19-2006, 08:56 AM

You lucky bastard! Yeah, it's not a great song. If i wasn't in GA I would have used the song for a toilet break. Instead I just used it to stand still and rest, save my energy.

theu2fly · 09-19-2006, 06:14 PM

'Bullet' stays because of it's message, both behind the band being against guns, as well as the handling of countries, based on other countries.

'Bullet' can be interpreted new ways now, given in the world's current phase.

The solo is really great on that song, and granted Bono can't sing it that well, but the song itself is still one of my favorites from the Joshua Tree.

Joey788 · 09-20-2006, 04:29 PM

Bullet's a great song but this tour's version has seriously lacked power. If the band gave it the strength and anger it had during ZooTV, it'd be amazing.

Now for something that sucks in my opinion. Since it was released on Achtung Baby, One has never missed a concert. I'm pretty sure this is correct and hopefully, Axver could back me up on this. I think it's the only U2 song for this to be true of. I think the band really has to do something to breath some new life into the song because since the Elevation Tour, it's just sounded dead to me.

tryan101 · 09-21-2006, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Joey788

Now for something that sucks in my opinion. Since it was released on Achtung Baby, One has never missed a concert. I'm pretty sure this is correct and hopefully, Axver could back me up on this. I think it's the only U2 song for this to be true of. I think the band really has to do something to breath some new life into the song because since the Elevation Tour, it's just sounded dead to me.

agreed. I ALWAYS make this the spot to make a quick dash for the bathroom if need be.

Axver · 09-25-2006, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Joey788
Now for something that sucks in my opinion. Since it was released on Achtung Baby, One has never missed a concert. I'm pretty sure this is correct and hopefully, Axver could back me up on this. I think it's the only U2 song for this to be true of. I think the band really has to do something to breath some new life into the song because since the Elevation Tour, it's just sounded dead to me.

You're pretty much right on this one. Beautiful Day and Elevation also haven't missed a show since their debut (as well as a few HTDAAB songs, but given the Vertigo Tour isn't even over, that's not a shock!), but I don't really consider those two songs to be on the same level as One as they haven't been around 15+ years! One really, really badly needs a rest. Even moreso than Bullet.

Another song that needs to go is Pride. Even more alarmingly than One's run, Pride hadn't missed a concert from its debut in 1984 until 2001's Elevation Tour. It missed a few shows in the early stages of that tour and has now returned to being a regular again. But yes, it was at every UF, JT, Lovetown, ZooTV, and Popmart show, and I think it hit all the Conspiracy Of Hope shows.

How does U2 not get sick of playing these songs ad nauseum?

Blue Room · 09-25-2006, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ifeelnumb84
I'm guessing it wasnt played in South Bend because it was the first show after 9/11, and earlier performances have a sort of half anti-American vibe, something that wasn't really needed at that point in time.
Of course, that doesn't explain why they have resumed playing it at each concert ever since.

I dont think that was it. I was at this show so I was privilaged not to have to hear it.

( I like the song, it could just take a more extensive break for me. )

I think they were experimenting with a new setlist at the time and didnt think Bullet fit the flow of that setlist. So it was not done that night. The interesting thing is they originally were going to go with the standard Elevation opener that night and changed their minds right before the show. If they had gone with the original I think Bullet would have been done.

What is really odd is that they were also going to do a full band Peace On Earth but scrapped that idea also at the last minute.

U2Man · 09-25-2006, 04:29 PM

Bullet

09-17-2006, 03:15 PM	#1
The_acrobat Refugee Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Urbana, Ohio, USA Posts: 1,246 Local Time: 08:22 AM	6 shows since 1987 without "Bullet" I feel priveledged to have attended a U2 show WITHOUT bullet the blue sky. That was 10/10/01 in South Bend, Indiana. But I researched on Axver's site to see how many other shows Bullet has not been played at since it's release. Here are the results. 10/3/89- Brisbane 10/27/89- Adelaide 11/11/89- Auckland 11/23/89- Yokohama 12/18/89- Amsterdam 10/10/01- South Bend 6 shows, 5 of those in 1989. Only one show on a full scale U2 concert as part of a tour has not featured "Bullet the blue sky" in the last 16 years. It's not even that good of a song, not a popular hit single. Why do they insist on playing it so much???? And I wonder why they didn't play it at the South Bend show?

09-17-2006, 03:23 PM	#2
adrball Refugee Premium Gold Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Leeds UK Posts: 1,219 Local Time: 08:22 AM	Simple...'cos it is great song LIVE. A lot of power and emotion Edge's solo: __________________ When I Was 3 I Thought The World Revolved Around Me, I Was Wrong.

09-17-2006, 06:04 PM	#5
coolian2 In opposition and not happy Premium Gold Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Auckland via Kwajalein Posts: 23,871 Local Time: 09:22 PM	They keep playing it because it rocks. __________________

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09-17-2006, 03:30 PM	#3
Zooropean103 Refugee Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Warsaw, Poland Posts: 1,498 Local Time: 09:22 AM	Mayby they just like to play it? And like adrball said above: really, it's a GREAT song live, one of their best. If someone tells me U2 is only about pop-rock or slow ballads then I show him Zoo TV or Boston Elevation version of Bullet. Edge's solo and Bono's psychodelic rap is always thrilling. Later Vertigo versions are also great, especially the "Johnny comes marching home... HOME... HOOOME!!!" part!

09-17-2006, 05:22 PM	#4
Ifeelnumb84 War Child Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Lexington/Marlborough, MA Posts: 608 Local Time: 03:22 AM	I'm guessing it wasnt played in South Bend because it was the first show after 9/11, and earlier performances have a sort of half anti-American vibe, something that wasn't really needed at that point in time. Of course, that doesn't explain why they have resumed playing it at each concert ever since.

09-18-2006, 06:54 AM	#6
Mauwer War Child Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Netherlands Posts: 541 Local Time: 09:22 AM	And it might be very easy to sing for Bono???? A nice breather for him inbetween harder to sing songs! ( SBS & MS this tour ) Cheers , Mauwer

09-18-2006, 08:14 AM	#7
Zooropean103 Refugee Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Warsaw, Poland Posts: 1,498 Local Time: 09:22 AM	I wouldn't call bullet easy to sing... It's very emotional song and the whooooo-oooooooo's are pretty high.

09-18-2006, 08:48 AM	#8
Dulce de Leche War Child Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: London Posts: 926 Local Time: 08:22 AM Images: 1	Wow, I thought I'd always heard it but I was at the South Bend show so I guess not. Fun times, as I have always thought it's the most overrated live song and they need to drop it. Cheers for the info.

09-19-2006, 08:56 AM	#9
Arcadion Acrobat Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Perth, Australia Posts: 454 Local Time: 08:22 AM	You lucky bastard! Yeah, it's not a great song. If i wasn't in GA I would have used the song for a toilet break. Instead I just used it to stand still and rest, save my energy.

09-19-2006, 06:14 PM	#10
theu2fly Refugee Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 1,937 Local Time: 08:22 AM Images: 8	'Bullet' stays because of it's message, both behind the band being against guns, as well as the handling of countries, based on other countries. 'Bullet' can be interpreted new ways now, given in the world's current phase. The solo is really great on that song, and granted Bono can't sing it that well, but the song itself is still one of my favorites from the Joshua Tree.

09-20-2006, 04:29 PM	#11
Joey788 War Child Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: New York City Posts: 833 Local Time: 03:22 AM	Bullet's a great song but this tour's version has seriously lacked power. If the band gave it the strength and anger it had during ZooTV, it'd be amazing. Now for something that sucks in my opinion. Since it was released on Achtung Baby, One has never missed a concert. I'm pretty sure this is correct and hopefully, Axver could back me up on this. I think it's the only U2 song for this to be true of. I think the band really has to do something to breath some new life into the song because since the Elevation Tour, it's just sounded dead to me.

09-25-2006, 04:29 PM	#15
U2Man ONE love, blood, life Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: at pavel's Posts: 11,614 Local Time: 09:22 AM	Bullet